Chapter 525 - 521: Unexpected Plundering Discovery

Chapter 525 - 521: Unexpected Plundering Discovery

After the Holy Summit event concluded, at the cusp of the beginning that was the Season of Emptiness, a group of eight figures were trekking the Central Region’s border on foot. At the lead was a hooded figure that had leaking auburn hair, a valiant figure with fine curves, and a sheathed sword at her waist. This valiantly heroic figure was Hong Chunhua, First Commander of the Ascendants. She lifted her head to see the cloudy and thundering skies.

"Commander, should we really not venture to the Zephyr Plains? This Holy Summit seems to be quite suspicious." A male demon with a sleek head without the slightest hair on his head asked, his tone filled with concern. The Holy Summit was an event that would gather the so-called Holy Children of this continent, and their leader was a member. Furthermore, there might be some underlying meanings behind this event.

Right now, the group hadn’t heard any recent news surrounding the events on the continent, or the events of Wei Wuyin’s dominating actions. They had been in a joint secluded cultivation session to heal and enhance their various powers. It had only been a few hours since they left.

"You’re like a hawing donkey, always asking the same question. The answer hasn’t changed: His Majesty would inform us if he needs us. We don’t have to take initiative otherwise." Bei Yunhan explained, clearly exasperated by Zu Zun’s continuous questions. Even if he loved this harping baldy, his concerns were just never-ending.

Another voice chimed in, belonging to Li Yungu: "Our objectives are to gather as a unit, plunder resources of this World Realm, get stronger, and await orders."

"See!" Bei Yunhan heavily sighed.

Zu Zun frowned, "Commander?" He was always the stubborn sort, and this Holy Summit felt strange to him. What if it was a ploy to fight against their Majesty? Should they not be nearby just in case of an emergency? Especially in this type of environment.

The Season of Emptiness was beginning, causing cultivators to experience an abrupt bout of weakness. Without ambient energies, mana, and various restrictions imposed on their cultivation bases, the playing field was quite leveled.

Of course, they had explosive advantages in this type of environment that supported a firm, sturdy, and wide cultivation foundation.

Hong Chunhua kept trekking, her eyes affixed to the looming clouds above with flickering lightning streaks. This area was originally the border of the Lei Clan’s territory. It permeated with lightning energies and were usually aggressive, bolts of lightning and explosive sonic booms of thunder were constant. But now the lightning was self-contained and the thunder reduced to far off whimpers.

The world had undergone vast changes during the Season of Emptiness, affecting the various regions and their respective dangers. However, this seemed to be the prelude to something disastrous.

It was unfortunate that the eight Ascendants present were the only ones alive. The other four had experienced various mishaps or fought against cultivators beyond their means. Unable to escape, they lost their lives. During this nearly three years of continuous travel, they had avenged the fallen and gathered those that remained into a single unit of elites.

Their cultivation bases had all gone through extraordinary changes, reaching the Spatial Resonance Phase, with not a single one entering into that phase with less than nine-ripple Spatial Resonance. They were elites amongst the elites. If they returned to the starfield, they might be heralded as the top eight experts, excluding Long Chen and Wei Wuyin, of their generation.

Furthermore, they all had various specialties that allowed them to stand out from any crowd, picked from the best, and nurtured by high-level alchemical products and resources.

Hong Chunhua sighed in her heart, bringing out an emblem that signified her status as the First Commander of the Ascendants. "Until we’re given other orders, we act in accordance with our original directive. This is a trial given to us by his Majesty, our main objective is to hone our edge and survive, not meddle in his affairs without his orders."

Bei Yunhan was with Arth, and they were beside a specific cage with strange looks on their faces. Hong Chunhua walked over, inspecting the cage when her heart was dealt a heavy surprise.

"Is this...?" She was confused. She turned to Bei Yunhan and Arth who also had strange, shocked expressions. "How? There’s no way she would be sent here, right?" They saw the half-naked and raggedy form of Qingye Ying, the Princess of Everlore!

But they hadn’t noticed her based on her appearance, as she wore a veil almost always, but because of her cultivation and aura. She had an Alchemic Astral Soul, and while most of this World Realm’s Alchemic Proxies had false Alchemic Astral Souls artificially made from a strange method, Qingye Ying’s was the genuine article.

They were all there during the All-Alchemic Clash, an era-defining moment, so her aura was as familiar to them as their own mother’s.

When Qingye Ying lifted her sunken eyes and her eyelashes fluttered with weakness, observing these new arrivals, she was startled to see Arth. This World Realm lacked beastmen, so this person can only be from her starfield! A strange hope emerged in her heart.

Was she saved?!

Tears started to form at the sides of her eyes. After nearly two years of being forced as a Alchemic Proxy, forced to concoct products and have her alchemical energies extracted, it was torture of the highest degree. Was this how alchemists who have no ability to fight back are forced to exist as?

Slaves? Tools? The means for the powerful to become more powerful?!

But the next words out of Bei Yunhan’s mouth severed that hope and sent her into despair, "Should we kill her?"

"..." Hong Chunhua didn’t answer. She stared at Qingye Ying for a long moment.

Arth, however, flipped out with excitement: "Of course! She’s the only competitor with his Majesty, and she has a genuine Alchemic Astral Soul. In the long run, she’ll become the next King of Everlore, who knows what she will do then. So ridding him of this uncertainty will be good, no?"

Qingye Ying might be a member of the Alchemist Association, but there were no real restrictions to her potential or future. She could nurture a threat to their rule in the future. After all, the starfield was theirs and only she had the ability to change that.

Qingye Ying shrunk back in her cage. While being a proxy was hell, she didn’t wish to die. As long as breath remained in her lungs, as an alchemist, she would always find a way through every problem she faced. This was a mantra of alchemists, and it rang true.

When the King of Everlore needed to resurrect the body of a failed Mystic Ascendant, he did. When he wanted to find a way to bypass the Realm World Astral Tribulation, he did. When he wanted to surpass the Mortal Star Formation Tribulation, turning Alchemic Natal Soul into Alchemic Astral Soul, he did!

There was nothing they couldn’t solve, but that required two things: time and life.

"Set her free. Free the rest too," Hong Chunhua ordered, giving Qingye Ying one last look before leaving. After reaching the entrance of the carriage, she stopped: "If you want to follow us, you can. We’ll ensure you return to the Alchemist Association safely as long as we’re alive. But remember this, this is only because of his Majesty."

She stepped off, thinking about Wei Wuyin as she did.